The Spanish American War Essay - 1073 Words

Eitan Flor Professor Joseph Holbrook AMH 2042 4 October 2017 The Spanish-American War The conventional reasons associated with the intervention of the United States in the Spanish-American war seem to originate with the lack of independence for Cuba and the Philippines along with the explosion of the U.S.S Maine in the Havana Harbor. Spain’s colonial reign on Cuba was unequal and unfair, oppressing the residing population into brutal concentration camps where 200,000 Cuban civilians died of starvation, exposure, or dysentery, sparking discontent with the American population. Regardless of how focused the war seemed to be on aiding Cuba and the Philippine islands, many motives existed for the United States to enter the war such as an†¦show more content†¦Individuals in high ranks such as Theodore Roosevelt and Grover Cleveland also took Mahan’s writing into deep consideration, ultimately altering the next chapter of American history. Starting with the construction of the U.S.S Texas and U.S.S Maine, the United States began expanding its naval po wer. Under Grover Cleveland’s second term during 1893-1897, a direct change was seen with the aggressive behavior of the United States. Cleveland’s administration actively warned the European countries to steer away from Latin America and avoid further European colonization. To further ensure this, the Monroe Doctrine was set in place to explicitly state that Europe did not have any authority to expand their colonial ruling. Britain was shocked, along with the rest of the world. It was evident that the United States’ power was intensifying. Meanwhile-in the United States-much approval and support was seen with the government and its citizens. During this time, individuals felt imperialism was the solution to the depression in the United States and would provide additional resources and outlets to recover. Just like in the American Civil War, there was an opportunity for Manifest Destiny. Just as the United States could expand from the East to the West, spreading dominance over Latin American countries and islands all over the worldShow MoreRelatedThe Spanish American War Essay894 Words   |  4 PagesThe Spanish American War, also known as â€Å"The Splendid Little War,† was a short-lived conflict between the United States and Spain in 1898. This war was a pretext for the Philippines War. During this time period Spain had control over several territories within the Caribbean because they were still a colonial power. Although Spain had control of the territories of Cuba and the Philippines, the inhabitants began to grow more and more rebellious as time passed. With the tension building betweenRead MoreThe Spanish American War of 1898 Essay1316 Words   |  6 PagesThe Spanish American War of 1898 One hundred years ago, in 1898, the United States was fighting the Spanish-American War. 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